Bird Album
Southern Masked Weaver
Ploceus velatus Vieillot, 1819
11–14 cmLength31 gWeight
The southern masked weaver (Ploceus velatus), or African masked weaver, is a resident breeding bird species common throughout southern Africa.
Busiest months: November · Most records: South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe
Where and when it's recorded
Southern Masked Weaver has been recorded at 235 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 13 countries and regions.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Rietvlei NRSouth Africa1,108 records
- Marievale Bird SanctuarySouth Africa950 records
- Strandfontein WTPSouth Africa823 records
More places
- Walter Sisulu National Botanical GardenSouth Africa633 records
- Avis DamNamibia529 records
- Etosha NP – Okaukuejo CampNamibia510 records
- Ondudu LodgeNamibia509 records
- Delta ParkSouth Africa482 records
- Zaagkuildrift RdSouth Africa462 records
- Rondevlei NRSouth Africa420 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The southern masked weaver (Ploceus velatus), or African masked weaver, is a resident breeding bird species common throughout southern Africa.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Southern Masked Weaver?
The Southern Masked Weaver is about 11–14 cm long and weighs around 31 g.
Where does the Southern Masked Weaver live?
Its breeding range: Africa: southern Angola to Mozambique, south to southern, eastern South Africa; also São Tomé (south-central Gulf of Guinea Islands). It is most often recorded in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
When is the best time to see the Southern Masked Weaver?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the Southern Masked Weaver endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Southern Masked Weaver as Least Concern.
What does the Southern Masked Weaver eat?
Main food: Omnivore.
What family is the Southern Masked Weaver in?
It belongs to the family Weavers, Widowbirds (Ploceidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).
At a glance
- Length
- 11–14 cm
- Weight
- 31 g
- Habitat
- Shrubland
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Lifestyle
- Perches in trees
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 77 mm
- Tail
- 52 mm
- Bill
- 17 mm
- Tarsus
- 22 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Africa: southern Angola to Mozambique, south to southern, eastern South Africa; also São Tomé (south-central Gulf of Guinea Islands)
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Passerines Passeriformes
- Family
- Weavers, Widowbirds Ploceidae
- Genus
- Ploceus
Other birds in the genus Ploceus
Baglafecht WeaverPloceus baglafecht
Bannerman's WeaverPloceus bannermani
Bates's WeaverPloceus batesi
Black-chinned WeaverPloceus nigrimentus
Bertram's WeaverPloceus bertrandi
Slender-billed WeaverPloceus pelzelni
Loango WeaverPloceus subpersonatus
Little WeaverPloceus luteolus
Spectacled WeaverPloceus ocularis
Olive-naped WeaverPloceus brachypterus
Black-necked WeaverPloceus nigricollis
Strange WeaverPloceus alienus
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Carmelo López Abad. ↗
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